Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-12-17
LAST SPIKES.
THE HISTORIC RAILROAD SCENES
OF 1S69-1SS7.
Two OF the Most Important Events
for California and Sacramento
in all Their History.

The last spike is TO be driven to-day that
completes the work of constructing the Cal
ifornia and Oregon Railroad. The cere-
mony is to be performed near the Oregon
line, and Charles Crocker, who will WELD
the sledge, began his great railway enter
prises, in connection with his co-laborers,
Leland Stanford and C. P. Huntington, and
like them was a pioneer Sacramento mer-
chant. Sacramento therefore feels deep
interest in the event, not only because the
men who conceived and carried out the
greatest railway undertakings of the age
were her citizens, and here planned their
far-sighted schemes for the benefit of this
State, but because the Oregon road has its
terminus here, this being its corporate and
actual termination, and because, also, this
city is a trade center which will more
largely than any other interior point avail
of this line, and because Sacramento has
always stood the friend of the road through
dark and bright days alike.
1t would be a matter of comparative ease
TO fill scores of columns with "reminiscences
and interesting details concerning the
building of the hanscontinental railways,
and that line to-day to be finished, which
parallels the coast, and marries the waters
of Puget Sound, by rail, to the tides of Il e
Gulf of Mexico. But the public is familiar
with all these things, and mere reference
to few are sufficient now to open the flood
gates of memory.
The initial work of the great Pacific rail
way system was inaugurated on the Sth
day of January, 1863, by the breaking of
ground at the corner of Front and streets
in this city, at which time appropriate
ceremonies were held and general rejoicing
at the prospect of quick communication
with The States prevailed. AT the in
augural ceremonies the Introductory speech
was made by Governor Stanford, and after
prayer by Rev. DR.. ]. A. Benton, Charles
Crocker announced that the Governor of
California will now shovel the first earth
for the great Pacific Railroad" Two wagons
loaded with earth were then hauled in
front of the rostrum, and Governor STAN
ford, taking a shovel, deposited the first
earth for the road-bed, while deafeniug
cheers went up from the enthusiastic null
titude. The prospect that the slow route
and method of travel by the Isthmus, or
the Horn or by OK teams across the almost
trackless plains, was about to be changed
into railroad transit, was an inexpressible
cause for congratulation to the entire
people of the State
After the ceremony of moving the first
earth in the great undertaking had been
concluded, addresses were delivered by
A. n. Crone, ]. H. Warwick, J. S. Banks,
Charles Crocker, w. Van Dyke, Rev J. T.
Peck, w. II. Sears, Newton Booth and
DR.. J. f. Morse.
The work. thus auspiciously inaugurated
was pushed forward with remarkable speed
for the almost unsurmountable difficulties
encountered, and on May TO- 1869, the last
rail was laid, and the last spike was driven
on the great Central Pacific overland route
The point of junction was at Promontory
Summit, Utah, 600 miles east of Sacra-
mento, and 1086 west of the Missouri
river. Early on the morning of that day
Governor Stanford and his associates
arrived on the ground, and at $50 A. NJ
Vice President Durant of the Union Pacific,
and number of visitors arrived from the
East. There was an uncompleted space of
about 100 feet between the two great over
land roads, and work was at once entered
upon to fill the gap. AT II A. NJ. all was in
readin6ss for laying the connecting rails
and the celebration of the all important
event 10 the people of the Pacific Coast; as
well as of the entire Nation.
AT the hour named engine No 119 of the
Union Pacific, and Jupiter, No. 60. of the
Central Pacific, both gaily decorated, ap-
preached from opposite directions to within
100 feet of each other. Telegraph wires
were attached to the last rail, that the
record of each blow OF the sledge might be
transmitted by telegraph to all parts of the
Union. Governor Stafford, in behalf of
the people of Arizona, presented a spike
composed of iron, silver and gold, saying:
Ribbed with iron, clad in silver and
crowned with gold, Arizona presents her
offering to the enterprise that has banded
our continent and dictated a new path
way to commerce"
T. A Trittle, in behalf of Nevada, pre-
sented a silver spike, saying: ITO the
iron of the East, and the gold of the West,
Nevada adds her link of silver to span the
continent and wed the OCCASION"
DR.. H. w. Harkness, on behalf of Cali
fornia, presented a golden spike, saying:
The last rail needed 10 complete the
greatest railroad enterprise of the world is
about to be laid. The last spike needed to
unite the Atlantic and Pacific by new line
of travel and commerce is about to be
driven to its place to perform these acts
The East and the West have come together
California from her mines
has forwarded a spike, from her laurel
woods has hewn tie, and by the hands of
her citizens she offers them to become
part of the great highway which is about to
unite her in close fellowship with her sis
ters of the Atlantic. From her bosom was
taken the first rail, let hers be the last tie
and the last spike-with them accept the
hopes and wishes of her people that the
success of your enterprise may not stop
short of its brightest promise"
The last spike was then driven. 1t was
of gold and contained $4l4 in value. 1t
was a fac simile of a six-inch spike, and
was inscribed on the head THE Last
ErNil-c.i' ont ba ciAa ttTho Dan,Fo D., !.
ground broken January s, 1868: completed
May -, 1863. May God continue the unity
of our country as this railroad unites the
two great oceans of the world" To this
was added the names of the officers of the
company.
Superintendent Cox, in behalf of the
Union Express Company, presented a sill
yer hammer with which to drive the spike
and with which Governor Stanford drove
the spike for California and Nevada, assisted
by Mrs. Strowbridge Edgar Mills acted as
Chairman of the ceremonies and Rev. DR..
Todd officiated as chaplain. Upon Mr..
Mills announcing the great work of con-
struction done, the locomotives from the
two roads moved up and touched noses.
Champagne was passed from one engine to
the other, and drank by the engineers and
conductors. The locomotives were in turn
run forward and back over the last and
naSlC IS, anu lue CeTeInOLleS over one OF
the greatest events of modern times were
concluded.
To-day the ceremonies marking the COM
pletion of another great work of construc-
ton by the same master builders is to take
place on the northern border of our proud
commonwealth, and while the celebration
will not be so marked, the far-reaching
importance of the new line to travel and
commerce is almost beyond computation.
and opens to Sacramento and California
renewed and grander prospects for the
golden future.
FOREIGN.